No one but the CID will probe the serial PUC question paper leak incident, reiterated primary and secondary education minister Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri, even as the Opposition members in the Council demanded a probe by a Special Investigation Team, stating they had little faith in the CID.
“The ramification of the paper leak is huge. So we want a special team headed by a senior and honest officer to handle the task. A CID probe should be impartial. But it is difficult for us to believe that the CID can do justice because the state has a ‘captive’ Lokayukta and a powerful education lobby,” said JD(S) leader M.C. Nanaiah.
MLC Abdul Azeem dubbed the CID as a dumping ground for ‘unwanted’ and ‘inefficient’ officers and said, “Announcing a reward for informers who can give vital information on the paper leak is a better option. A CID probe has always been inferior to even a station level inquiry.” Congress member V.R. Sudarshan reminded the government that the issue should not be diluted. “The probe should be impartial and time-bound. And we may have to demand resignation of the education minister if the guilty are not brought to book.”
Interestingly, Kageri claimed that the government was shocked to hear about the paper leak as the PU Board examination had been made `foolproof’ over the years. “The paper might have been leaked any time during the different stages. On the eve of both the maths and physics exams, we discovered that a dummy with probable questions was in circulation and it resembled the actual question paper. We found teachers tutoring students with the leaked paper,” said Kageri.
The members who were vociferous in their demand for a fair and time-bound probe, opposed the government action against a few teachers and subsequent arrests made by the CID. Suspending teachers is an effort to divert attention from the main issue, they alleged. However, all members unanimously agreed that the private tuition lobby posed many dangers and the paper leak was one of them. Tuition centres are under pressure to show performance to increase enrollment and their earnings. So, it is obvious they have access to question papers, which are supposed to be confidential, noted the House.